First Native

[jgmansell]

I have just pruned my first native and would appreciate any advice for future development as I am just an amateur. Not sure if I have done enough, too much, or just made a mess. The trunk is 30mm diameter and 300mm high after pruning. The root system looked very healthy and I probably removed about a quarter.
Thanks
john

[LLK]

Good choice for a first native, I'd say. Little bottle brush with good movement. Styling OK, but..... Considering the type and size of the foliage, the design of this tree would benefit from being taller, so my advice is: encourage it to grow. A bonsai pot now is a bit premature; put it in an orchid pot and give it at least a couple of years before reducing the pot size, preferably more. Also: the present planting is too high.
All the best,

Lisa

[jgmansell]

Good choice for a first native, I'd say. Little bottle brush with good movement. Styling OK, but..... Considering the type and size of the foliage, the design of this tree would benefit from being taller, so my advice is: encourage it to grow. A bonsai pot now is a bit premature; put it in an orchid pot and give it at least a couple of years before reducing the pot size, preferably more. Also: the present planting is too high.
All the best,

Lisa

Thanks Lisa, I bought this as tubestock about 4 years ago and put in an orchid pot for a couple before moving it to this one. I only have a few so a bit too keen to get it into a bonsai pot. I thought it was too high in the pot but I didn’t want to cut too much off the roots and kill it too quickly. I guess I will let it recover now then have another go later, but I appreciate your advice.

[Watto]

All the things Lisa said are true, but at my place trees in bonsai pots get much better attention than those in plastic pots. And I have many more bonsai pots than I have orchard pots. Bottlebrush are tough in my experience and will grow OK in that pot anyway.
Just a different perspective.

[LLK]

Watto, you are probably right in your estimate that this bottlebrush will grow OK in that pot, especially since it's in Queensland, but jgmansell only has a few trees and is unlikely to neglect it. Also, planting it in an orchid pot (what is an orchard pot?) would have allowed deeper planting. jgmansell: when you want to gradually reduce the roots, cut what you want and plant the tree lower in less soil than before. Some people just cut an ordinary black plastic pot back to the height they need.

Lisa

[jgmansell]

Thanks again Lisa and Watto. So here is another question, is it too late now to cut more off the roots and plant it lower? If not, how long should I leave it before I do?

john

[LLK]

I'd leave it alone, now, unless you want to slip pot it into an orchid pot so that you can cover the upper roots. Better a generous rootball than too small a one. It'll just grow better this year.

Lisa

[jgmansell]

I'd leave it alone, now, unless you want to slip pot it into an orchid pot so that you can cover the upper roots. Better a generous rootball than too small a one. It'll just grow better this year.

Lisa

Thanks Lisa, I will leave it for now.